Friday, July 28, 2006

My point is very simple, that the indigenous people of New Zealand came from China. The first New Zealanders came from China. I don't think you can take it further than that.

This is true, but only in the same sense that your average Pakeha "comes from" Denmark or the Eurasian steppe or Africa - that is, that at some time in the past, their distant ancestors lived there. And it ignores the fact that those ancestors lived in quite a lot of places on the way to New Zealand - including (roughly) the Bismarck Archipelago, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Samoa. I'm not sure why the Chinese (or rather, Taiwanese) aspect is stressed more than the other parts of the story, or indeed more than the ultimate African origin of all humanity. But maybe I'm just wierd...

8
comments:

Maybe it is just a "we are all the same" sort of agrument caefully disguised not to upset deeply racist people.
Posted by
Genius
:
7/28/2006 07:42:00 PM

Winston Peters is great - this is terrific and important stuff - it really is attention-grabbing in places like China, Japan, Korea, Singapore: Societies that are incredibly racist in so many ways. He is breaking through and pulling down the barriers, the perfect antedote to approach of National which is to constantly attempt to divide and inflame Maori vs non Maori; "Kiwi" versus "Other" bla bla bla.

If National needs NZ First after Election 2008, I pray he demands the Premiership - it is time for a Maori PM in this country.
Posted by
Anonymous
:
7/28/2006 10:19:00 PM

Seen the recent work that has found that all Maori share a single common female Chinese ancestor?
Posted by
Logix
:
7/29/2006 10:13:00 AM

I was pretty sure the Lapita people originated in Taiwan, not China. I'm sure that'd go down really well in China...
Posted by
Ghet
:
7/29/2006 12:01:00 PM

When Winston appears at an African summit he can tell everyone NZ is a nation of African descendants.
Posted by
Peter
:
7/29/2006 02:31:00 PM

Ghet,Taiwan IS china (a province with "a degree of local autonomy") just ask most of the countries in the world - or the UN.
Posted by
Genius
:
7/29/2006 05:36:00 PM

Taiwan IS china (a province with "a degree of local autonomy") just ask most of the countries in the world - or the UN

That's right- go to any Polynesian microstate, offer to build an airport or factory, and they'll tell the world your opinion of whether Taiwain is part of China or not.
Posted by
Peter
:
7/30/2006 06:07:00 PM

Almost no one looks China in the eye anymore, here is New Zealand's position:

"Hon PETER DUNNE (Leader—United Future) to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Why was Taiwan Minister of State Lin Yi-Fu refused entry to New Zealand, and how is this “in the best interests of New Zealand” as the Minister claims?

.....

Hon PHIL GOFF: New Zealand does not recognise Taiwan as representing the Government of China. It has held that position for 32 years—that is, since 1972. New Zealand holds to a one-China policy in common with practically all of the countries of the world, bar a handful of small countries.